Slipper Island has been near-unbeatable down the chute at Trentham and the gelding will likely return to the Champagne Turf one more time this preparation in pursuit of black-type honours.
A five-year-old by No Nay Never, Slipper Island won his maiden as a juvenile at Trentham and has only been beaten once at the track since, with his three subsequent victories coming in his last three starts. The most recent of those was on Saturday, where he started a deserved favourite in the Japac Homes (1200m) over Party Rocking ($4.40).
Party Rocking and Brave Spirit were first out of the gates and set a searing tempo, having most of the field off the bridle as they neared the course proper. Michael McNab allowed it all to unfold in front of him as he sat patiently aboard Slipper Island, and as the leaders began to weaken, the gelding wound up and stormed past his rivals to score with considerable ease at the line.
“It was very similar to his last start, he got back off a very solid tempo and was very strong late, he won it comfortably,” Slipper Island’s trainer Tony Pike said.
“He’s racing in career-best form and loves a fast-run 1200 down the chute at Wellington, he’s always had plenty of ability and things just haven’t always gone right for him.
“He’s racing with a lot of confidence at the moment putting three together in a row, so hopefully he continues to improve from here on and step up to open class.”
Pike indicated a step up to seven furlongs may be on the horizon for Slipper Island, but not before a shot at the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) on April 12.
“He’s possibly looking for 1400m now, Michael mentioned that on Saturday,” he said. “He did win comfortably, but he said he was off the bridle and probably chasing that hot speed, and at some stage 1400m around a corner would suit.
“We may look at going back for the open 1200m stakes race as his final run this preparation in two weeks’ time, should he pull up well.
“Hopefully next season, with another year under his belt, he can be a consistent performer in some of those open class sprinting races.”
By Katom, Slipper Island has now earned more than $200,000 in prizemoney after being purchased by Pike Racing for $180,000 out of Haunui Farm’s draft at Karaka.
While all went to plan for Pike on home soil, his stayer Golden Century had his Derby plans derailed in Australia, with the postponement of Rosehill’s Saturday meeting.
The third placegetter in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), Golden Century earned himself a trip to Sydney with the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) the ultimate goal, through the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) now to be run on Tuesday.
“It was obviously frustrating for everybody having to change the schedules around, we took him out on Sunday morning along with a number of other horses, it was quite busy,” Pike said. “He had a quiet gallop to top him off for Tuesday, he’s settled in well and worked well.
“We’ll probably run tomorrow even though it wouldn’t be ideal on the four-day back-up into the Derby, but it looks like a race he can be very competitive in, albeit his first try on a heavy track.
“It depends on how he comes through tomorrow, but if he happened to win or run extremely well, it would be tough not to back-up on Saturday. He’ll tell us.”
To be ridden by Nash Rawiller, Golden Century is currently third favourite for the Tulloch at $7, with fellow Kiwi Mustang Morgan among the middle-market at $13.
Back at home, Pike’s three representatives at Pukekohe Park on Wednesday include Deep Pursuit, a returnee from Hong Kong after starting his career in the Cambridge stable.
The son of Deep Field won two trials impressively and was destined for a career in the competitive Asian jurisdiction, but failed to show that ability in three starts. He returned to Pike’s care and performed well at the trials, before a tidy Kiwi debut finishing third behind Overstate on March 14.
“He went to Hong Kong after trialling very well here in New Zealand, but he just never really handled the environment up there,” Pike said.
“He’s done well since he’s been back, his first-up run after a long break was very solid and he should improve off that. He seems to be enjoying life back here, and from what he’s shown us on the track, in his trials and his first-up run, we should have a lot of fun with him over the next season or two.”
Deep Pursuit will take his place in the Horizon By SkyCity 1200, while stablemates Investigate and Poetic Justice are both entered in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis 2100.
